Zeng Yu, who was still on the way to Beijing, didn't know that Luoyang, the heart of the Han Dynasty, had some abnormal fluctuations because of a war report. However, what Zeng Yu can think of is that he has become a leading bird this time, and once he enters Beijing, he may become a tipping point for the battle in the court, and if he is not careful, he may be torn to pieces.

Although this is the case, if you don't enter Beijing, it will make people above the court feel that they are cowardly, and if someone says a few bad words, maybe the credit will become a crime, but a crime of ineffective rescue and killing Shangguan will be in vain.

Therefore, Zeng Yu also had the mentality of fighting this time, although whether it was in Changzi County, Guo Jia, or when he left Anping, he was full of confidence in front of Sun Hao and others. But in fact, he still has these worries, his biggest advantage now is that he is the first local official to exterminate the Yellow Turban Army, but in this world, it has always been the strong who have the right to speak, and even the victory or defeat and right or wrong have never been absolute.

There were no major events along the way, and as we got closer and closer to the capital, there were fewer and fewer displaced people visible on the road. After crossing the river and the displaced people on the road became various carriages or caravans, Zeng Yu and the others had arrived outside Luoyang City, and it had been more than 20 days since they set off from Anping, and the time was already in May of the seventh year of Zhongping.

The previous request to enter Beijing to offer prisoners had been approved by the imperial court, and on the way he received an edict from the imperial court to allow him to enter Beijing. So when he arrived at the city gate, Zeng Yu showed the edict given by the imperial court, and the soldiers guarding the city gate welcomed them into the city after consulting the captain of the city gate, and temporarily arranged them in the post house in Luoyang. As for Zeng Yu's personal soldiers, except for Zhu Wenqin who led ten personal soldiers to protect him, everyone else went to the Zhang family's house in Luoyang City to station.

Soon after arriving at the post house, Wei Wei Dong Zhong sent someone over, saying that he was going to receive the Yellow Turban thief's head Zuo Zhangba on the emperor's order.

Zeng Yu took the order from the soldiers, and after confirming that it was correct, he asked the soldiers to pull out the prisoner cart and hand it over to the other party. Weiwei Dong Chong didn't come over, he was the younger brother of the Empress Dowager Dong, and the Empress Dowager Dong supported the second prince Liu Xie, so Dong Chong and the uncle of the eldest prince Liu Bian He Jin were not born all the way, but Liu Hong mainly supported the eunuchs, while Dong Chong was born in the scholar clan, and he was also not dealing with the eunuch forces, so his identity was more embarrassing.

After Zuo Zhangba was sent away, what Zeng Yu needed to do now was to wait for the edict of the imperial court, and at this time he took the initiative to visit any party, which would cause the other party to suppress him. And after entering the city today, the captain of the city gate personally sent someone to send him to the post house, he knew the value he had now, and he was not worried that no one would come to him.

Sure enough, it didn't take long for a soldier to hurriedly enter the door to report: "Lord, there is an angel in the palace outside the door who has come to pass the edict." ”

"Invite the angels in!" Zeng Yu hurriedly got up and ordered someone to welcome the angel in.

In fact, there is no need for Zeng Yu's people to invite, the officials of the post house have already invited the angel to the hall. When Zeng Yu went out, he saw that the officials of the post house were respectfully talking to several eunuchs carefully, thinking that this person was the so-called angel in the palace.

Several eunuchs heard the voice and turned their heads, and the first one of them looked at Zeng Yu and said: "Since the main lord has arrived, let's talk about the business first, Anping ordered Zeng Yu to take the edict!" ”

Everyone knelt in front of the angel according to their status, and listened to the eunuch say: "By the emperor's order, Anping ordered Zeng Yu to put down the rebellion, and announced that he would enter the palace three days later to receive the reward." ”

"No, the subordinate will receive the order!" Zeng Yu responded loudly.

It seems that his decision to immediately ask for orders to enter Beijing to offer prisoners after taking Zuo Zhangba is correct, if it were not for the attention of the current emperor, he would not be qualified to enter the palace to receive the reward. After Zeng Yu stood up, he thought silently in his heart.

Zeng Yu had learned before that now officials must pay one-third or one-quarter of the price of their official positions for transfers, promotions or new officials, and the price of official positions is calculated based on the annual salary of officials. For example, the price of an official position of 2,000 stone per year is 20 million yuan, which means that the price of an official position is 10,000 times the annual income of an official, and even if it is exchanged for gold, it will cost at least 2,000 gold. Although Duan Cheng, Zhang Wen and others have great merit and high prestige, they all paid enough money before ascending to the public position. In other words, when an official takes office, he must first pay the equivalent of his legal income for more than 25 years, which is why many officials have been unable to be promoted, or even abandon their official positions, because they cannot pay such a high "official fee".

But there is a surprise in this situation, that is, if it is not a Beijing official, but an appointment of a local official, as long as it is a reward given in person at the court meeting, the person concerned does not need to pay this so-called "official fee". And Liu Hong sent someone over this time and ordered him to enter the palace in three days, in addition to giving him a reward, it was to exempt him from this "official fee".

"Lord, what should we do next, do you want to go to Zhang Qi?" After the eunuch who gave the order left, Zhu Wen followed Zeng Yu back to the room and asked Zeng Yu.

"Yes, I want to express my heart, and I think this is also the reason why I entered the palace three days later." Zeng Yu nodded and said.

"When is the lord going to pass?" Zhu Wen asked.

"This matter should be sooner rather than later, you send my prayer post first, and at the same time send someone to the Zhang family's mansion, let them prepare a thousand gold, and then join me in Zhang's mansion." Zeng Yu commanded.

"Isn't that a lot of money?" When they entered Beijing this time, they only brought a total of 2,000 gold, and Zhu Wen was a little reluctant to give away half of it at once.

"This part of the money was originally going to be paid, but it was just a change of recipient." At this time, the annual salary of the county keeper was about 1,440 stones, and if it was really customary, he would have to pay more.

"Okay, as long as I can get things done, this thousand gold is worth it, and I will arrange it." Zhu Wen knew that what Zeng Yu decided would rarely change, so even if he was unhappy, he could only do it.

Not long after Zhu Wen went out, suddenly another soldier came in and reported: "Lord, there are people from the Yuan family outside who come with a prayer post." ”

It seems that he has really become a sweetheart, Zeng Yu thought in his heart, but the person stood up and walked out.

"The villain has seen Lord Anping Lingzeng, my son-in-law invited you to the banquet tonight, which can be regarded as a pick-up for you." After the servant of the Yuan family saw Zeng Yu come out, he handed over the prayer note and said to Zeng Yu.

Zeng Yu opened the worship post in person, and it turned out that Yuan Shao invited him to go to the Chunnuan Pavilion for a banquet tonight. He looked at the servants of the Yuan family who were standing respectfully in front of him, and said, "Since Yuan Gongzi has been invited, please go back and tell me, I will definitely go to the banquet on time." ”

"Since that's the case, the villain will retire first." The servant bowed and said.

Zeng Yu didn't keep him, knowing that he still had to return to Yuan Shao, and he also had to prepare for tonight's banquet.

Many people will confuse prostitution halls with Qinglou, Zeng Yu thought it was the same before, but after entering Beijing last time, Zeng Yu knew the difference between the two. Cao Cao once invited Zeng Yu to the Qinglou once, and it was only at this time that Zeng Yu understood the difference between the Qinglou and the prostitution hall. Prostitutes are in the skin and meat business, which has been around for a long time, but has never been accepted by the public and the law. The time when the Qinglou appeared was actually not short, but compared to the prostitution hall, the Qinglou is much more elegant.

There are no restrictions on the former, but most of the Qinglou are scholars, and the sister-in-law among them is not the kind of woman who sells herself, not to mention that she is proficient in piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, but most of them have the same specialization, and they talk elegantly, and the scholars are not here for physical pleasure, but mostly polite.

Moreover, the Qinglou is mainly private and not open to the public, even if you have money, you can't enter if no one invites you. Moreover, almost all the Qinglou in Luoyang City have the background of the family behind them, which is mainly a place for them to maintain relationships and attract talents.

This time, Yuan Shao's banquet point Chun Nuan Pavilion, I heard that it was Yuan's family business in Luoyang, and it was generally a celebrity or official who could be invited. Yuan Shao was able to bring him here, it seems that Yuan Shao wanted to win him over, but I don't know if this was Yuan Shao's own idea, or the Yuan family's gesture, or someone else, such as the current general He Jin. Zeng Yu knew that although Yuan Shao had no official position now, he was a guest of the general's mansion, and because he was born in the Yuan family, he could influence He Jin's decision-making to a large extent.

When Zeng Yu hadn't set off yet, the soldiers who had been sent to deliver the prayer post to Zhang Rang's mansion rushed back.

"The subordinate was ordered to go to Zhang Rang's mansion, and the other party received the post, knowing that the lord wanted to visit, and the other party agreed to go tomorrow." The soldiers reported to Zeng Yu.

"Who are you seeing?" Zeng Yu asked the soldiers.

"The subordinates didn't see Zhang in person, they were received by the housekeeper of the Zhang Mansion. However, when the butler heard that I was sent by the lord, he told me directly to go tomorrow. The soldier replied.

"I see, you go down and rest first." Zeng Yu instructed his own soldiers.

"No!"

"It seems that this Zhang knew that the lord was going to visit him, otherwise it would be absolutely impossible for a housekeeper to give an answer, and he must have already given an explanation." After the soldiers left, Zhu Wen, who had been following Zeng Yu, said.

"Yes, but it shouldn't be Zhang Rang's explanation, the real person in charge should be Zhang Rang."

When Zeng Yu first asked for office, he saw Zhang Rang, but he didn't attract too much attention from Zhang Rang, if there was, it was also because of his generosity, but it was by no means ability or power. And now that he has come with merit and is in Liu Hong's sight, it is estimated that he has attracted their real attention.

You must know that almost all of the people who are really capable today are from the scholar clan, because only their children have the opportunity to receive a better education, and even if the ordinary nouveau riche donates to the official, it is impossible to compete with the children of the scholar clan who have received elite education since childhood.

And Zeng Yu's appearance just made up for this shortcoming, in the eyes of the eunuchs, Zeng Yu was born to belong to their camp, so they naturally paid more attention to him.

For Zeng Yu, this is both a challenge and an opportunity. The reason why it is a challenge is because what he really wants in his heart is only to use these eunuchs as a springboard for himself, and if he is asked to work for these people, it is absolutely impossible. And the opportunity is naturally that the other party will provide him with better help in his career.